Short answer: the NiceHCK NX8Ti. It ranks #603 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $399; the AFUL Performer 8S ranks #647, rated 3.7/5, and costs $399.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
Why pick the NiceHCK NX8Ti: A limited tribrid with a titanium dynamic driver, six balanced armatures and a piezo tweeter. Watch for: Treble sits about 3.5 dB below target, a dark, relaxed balance.
Why pick the AFUL Performer 8S: The median of 12 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 70 with a 2.16 dB spread. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 5.9 dB low with a 6.6 dB dip near 4.0 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the NiceHCK NX8Ti. It is rated higher for sound quality than the AFUL Performer 8S and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
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A limited tribrid with a titanium dynamic driver, six balanced armatures and a piezo tweeter.
Amazon $399.00 eBay
The median of 12 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 70 with a 2.16 dB spread.
Amazon $399.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| NiceHCK NX8Ti | AFUL Performer 8S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $399.99 |
| Ranked | #603 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #647 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 6 x balanced armature + 1 x piezoelectric | 1 x dynamic + 6 x balanced armature + 1 x planar + 1 x passive radiator |
| Impedance | 180 ohms | 26 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 112.3 dB/mW | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 71 (median of 9 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 70 (median of 12 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.04 dB standard deviation | 2.16 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.79 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.65 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Frequency Response | - | 10Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the NiceHCK NX8Ti from atechreviews, audioamigo, bassaudio, dl, elrics, hu-fi, jaytiss, practiphile and superreview; the AFUL Performer 8S from aden, atechreviews, audioamigo, bassaudio, hobbytalk, jaytiss, kazi, koi, practiphile, precog, soundcheck39, soundignity and superreview, all via squig.link.
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